Darkness
by RaVeNs eViL sKyTtLe
Summary: Sango rescued a strange man named Maels, who is stranger than anyone thought. Weird things involving Sesshomaru. Warning:Yaoi in the future. As promised, chapter 2 is now up.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I own nothing besides Maels. I created him and no one can take him damnit! Rumiko Takahashi own Inuyasha and all the other pretty characters. (Like Sesshomaru. He's very pretty. Yes.)  
  
-Prologue-  
  
The dark is a most deceptive entity. I've come to learn this the hard way. It's most obscuring and hides the obvious horrendously well. However, it's strangely attractive. Once you experience the peace of darkness, you can't let go. You patiently wait for the sun to set so the veil of darkness will cover the world, enveloping it as if it were a blanket. Enveloping you.  
  
But the blanket is so cold and empty. It covers you completely and holds you close. And even though it lacks any holes, the icy talons of the night still pierce you. It lets this happen.  
  
It helps it even.  
  
Slowly the darkness trickles into you, leaving you as cold and empty as it is. Warping reality, making you some one –no something- you're not.  
  
You wouldn't think that a youkai as myself would fall victim to this darkness. But it's true. I, Lord Sesshomaru, have fallen prey to its cold caress. I have lost myself and nothing I can do, will bring me back. Nothing. And it's all because of the dark.  
  
It's all because of Maels.  
  
- -  
  
I know this is a bit awkward, but it helps set things up I suppose. I don't know. Hopefully I will be posting chapter one soon. Even though this was really, REALLY short I'd appreciate reviews anyhow..... I'll love you forever if you review. 


	2. See The Dark

-Chapter One - See The Dark-  
  
Sesshomaru bolted through the trees to find Jaken and Rin. Something was wrong. He could feel it. And even if he couldn't feel it, the smell of Rin's blood was a giveaway something was amiss.  
  
The youkai came to the clearing where Jaken was supposed to keep track of Rin to find Jaken out cold in a puddle of his own blood, Rin in the arms of a man who was covered in blood as well, and the dead form of another youkai.  
  
"Rin..." Sesshomaru slowly walked forward to the man and knelt down to see Rin. Jaken would definitely pay later for not protecting Rin properly.  
  
"Is she...?" The man stopped himself when the look on Sesshomaru's face gave him his answer. He obviously cared for the girl. It seemed as though he wanted to cry seeing her hurt like that.  
  
"What happened?" Sesshomaru looked into the mans eyes, demanding an answer.  
  
The man studied Sesshomaru's face. There was something horribly familiar about his eyes, but he couldn't place a finger on it. "I heard someone scream and I found this girl and that youkai there fighting that dead one over there." The man nodded in the direction of the dead youkai, but still kept eye contact with Sesshomaru. "Your girl should be fine if her wounds are taken care of. I think she may be in shock though." What was it about his eyes?  
  
"I'd like..." Sesshomaru mumbled. "I'd like to thank you for saving her."  
  
The man simply nodded, mesmerized by the youkai's golden eyes.  
  
Sesshomaru lifted Rin out of the mans arms and pulled her close to him. "She means a lot to me." He said quietly as he stood up. He had to break the eye contact. The way that man stared at him unnerved him. Yes some part of him he had locked away so long ago, was pleased.  
  
"She isn't yours is she? I mean..." The man sniffed at the air. "You're a youkai and she's human..."  
  
"No. I just take care of her. Is this your cloak she's wrapped in?" Sesshomaru asked, changing the subject abruptly.  
  
"Yes...You can keep it for her. I can get another one." The man smiled. He figured out why he was so familiar. "By the way, my name is Maels." He grinned widely, reveling sharp fangs.  
  
"Sesshomaru." The youkai stated flatly as he turned his back to Maels, picked up Jaken, and began to walk away.  
  
Yes, he was indeed right in his thinking. This youkai was exactly who he believed him to be.  
  
"HEY MAELS!!!! WHERE ARE YOU, YOU GODDAMNED PUPPY?!?!"  
  
Maels eye twitched as he grimaced at the sound of Inuyasha's yelling.  
  
Sesshomaru spun around to face Maels once again. "You're with Inuyasha?" He growled in a dangerously low voice.  
  
Maels rolled his eyes making him seem extremely juvenile. "Unfortunately."  
  
"I see you're as happy as I am to know the half-breed?" Sesshomaru asked, though it was more a statement than anything.  
  
"You're probably happier." Maels said sarcastically. "You are his half brother, right?"  
  
"MAELS!!!!" Inuyasha yelled again. It was obvious in the hanyou's voice that he was thoroughly pissed off.  
  
Sesshomaru nodded once as if further confirming his relations with the hanyou would poison him.  
  
Maels grinned insanely. "You are so much more beautiful than he is!" Then he ran off in the direction Inuyasha was yelling, leaving Sesshomaru staring after him in shock.  
  
"What is he?" Sesshomaru asked himself. This man Maels, he had him completely stumped. Not because was another man telling him that he was more beautiful than Inuyasha. That was true and Sesshomaru knew it. It was that his scent was so...unfamiliar. That's what confused him. _'He's not a human, nor a youkai. Or even a hanyou. What _IS_ he?'_ He looked down at Rin and smiled softly. "I suppose it doesn't matter much." He said to Rin, though he knew she couldn't hear him in her unconscious state. "I don't plan to see him ever again."  
  
- -  
  
"Where in the Hells have you been?!" Inuyasha barked as Maels ran up to him.  
  
"It's really none of your business dog breath." Maels figured it would be a VERY bad idea to tell Inuyasha that he had a most interesting encounter with his elder brother. And on top of that he helped him by saving that little girl. Yes. It would be a bad idea indeed.  
  
"Whatever. Anyways, Miroku wanted me to tell you..." Inuyasha stopped and stared at Maels who was obviously ignoring him. "HEY! Are you listening to me?!"  
  
"Possibly." Maels smirked, causing Inuyasha to growl and his eyes to narrow dangerously. "Calm down. I was listening. Now what does Miroku want?" He asked just to prove he was listening.  
  
_'He's actually paying attention to me...'_ This caught Inuyasha by surprise. "He said he wants you to get back to camp. We're eating soon." Inuyasha started walking back to where the others had set up camp.  
  
"Sounds good to me." Maels grinned and followed Inuyasha.  
  
"How are your wounds healing?" Inuyasha asked without looking back at Maels.  
  
"I'm flattered you would care enough to ask Inuyasha. But they're still pretty bad."  
  
"I don't care. I just want to know when you're better so I can kick your ass." Inuyasha stated, completely serious. "And it looks to me like it's going to be even longer now." He glanced back at Maels. "So what did you do to get yourself all bloodied up?" He asked, overly annoyed with Maels. One week of dealing with this...whatever he was was enough for Inuyasha.  
  
"I ran into a youkai..." Maels explained. It was probably pointless lying. Inuyasha could probably smell the youkai. He just hoped he didn't smell his brother...  
  
"Obviously you won since you're still alive. But it looks to me like you got pretty beat up, huh?" Inuyasha snickered.  
  
"Not really..."  
  
"Then I suppose you're limping because it's fun." Inuyasha said dryly. "And why are your clothes all torn? Why do you reek of your own blood? Where's your cloak?" He was having entirely way too much fun with this.  
  
"I....urm.... My cloak got ruined."  
  
"And you got your ass kicked."  
  
Maels sighed. "Yeah, basically." Inuyasha was right. He was more beat up than he thought. A horrible stinging all over his body let him know that there were more wounds. Either that or the old ones were re-opened.  
  
"Now I'm going to have to wait even longer to kick your ass."  
  
Maels laughed. "That's really funny. Like you could kick my ass. You're all talk, aren't you half-breed?"  
  
Inuyasha's eye twitched.  
  
"I mean seriously Inuyasha, you talk and talk and talk! I've been here a week now and I haven't seen you fight anything!"  
  
"That's because there hasn't_ been _anything to fight and Kagome hasn't found us any jewel shards." Inuyasha growled through gritted teeth.  
  
"Excuses, excuses Inuyasha. I could kick your ass right now, and I should for you calling me 'puppy'. I don't much like being called names. Understand?" The question was more of an order.  
  
"Feh." Inuyasha crossed his arms as he continued to walk. "Whatever you say." He said, positive that he couldn't be any LESS interested in what this nuisance had to say.  
  
Maels silently lunged at Inuyasha, hoping to shut the know-it-all hanyou down.  
  
As expected (from us who know Inuyasha at least) Inuyasha stepped to the side knowing what was coming, then brought his fist down on Maels' back, and thusly knocking him to the ground with a loud 'thud'. Maels bit his lip to keep himself from crying out in pain. He couldn't let Inuyasha know that he had actually hurt him.  
  
"Like I said puppy. Heal up before I kick your ass. It's not as much fun to watch you cry when you're already hurt." Inuyasha lifted Maels up and flung him over his shoulder.  
  
"I can walk for myself!" Maels protested angrily as Inuyasha began walking with him over his shoulder as if he hunted him.  
  
"I doubt it. I hit a really sensitive spot. Try and wiggle your toes if you don't believe me."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Just try and move your feet!" Inuyasha snapped.  
  
Maels rolled his eyes and tried to move his feet. An easy task, right? Wrong. He couldn't move his feet as much as he struggled to.  
  
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!" Maels exclaimed in fear.  
  
Inuyasha laughed heartily. "I told you. I hit a really sensitive spot. And I hit it hard. Don't worry though, you should be able to walk again by morning."  
  
Maels huffed. "I hate you, you bastard."  
  
"The feeling is mutual." Inuyasha muttered as he held on to Maels tighter and ran faster. _'Thanks a lot Sango... Thank you SO much for saving him from those youkai.'_ Inuyasha clenched his free hand tightly as he remembered the day Sango saved him. _'Why couldn't you just have let the bastard die? He isn't worth this much trouble.'_ Inuyasha growled quietly.  
  
"Something wrong Inuyasha?" Maels asked in a sickeningly sweet way.  
  
"Not really. Just thinking of how much I hate you." He stated truthfully.  
  
- - - -  
  
Woo! Chapter one. Happy? Just to be mean, I'm not updating until I get at least six reviews for this chapter. I choose six because that is a really neat number. (And it's the first number in 69. XD) So review! Hehehe. 


	3. Meet The Dark

-Chapter Two - Meet the Dark-  
  
"INUYASHA!! What did you do to him?!" Kagome shrieked as Inuyasha carried Maels over to her and dropped him to the ground.  
  
"I didn't do anything to him. He got his ass kicked by some other youkai." Inuyasha snorted. "If I'd attacked him he'd be dead."  
  
"Inuyasha... SIT!" Kagome yelled fed up with how wretched Inuyasha had been to Maels.  
  
Maels stifled a laugh and looked up at Kagome. "He really didn't do anything. He actually helped me get back here okay."  
  
Kagome looked at Inuyasha who hadn't bothered to stand up then at Maels. "He actually helped you?"  
  
"Yes I actually helped him!" Inuyasha snapped.  
  
"I'm shocked Inuyasha." Miroku said actually looking surprised at the hanyou's abnormal kindness towards Maels. Sango nodded in agreement as she helped Maels to his feet.  
  
Inuyasha stood up and brushed himself off. "I'll be back later. I need some time to think alright?" he practically growled and bounded off through the forest.  
  
"Is it just me, or is Inuyasha still like a child?" Maels asked watching Inuyasha run.  
  
"Nope. He's like a child!" Shippo said, smiling brightly.  
  
- -  
  
Maels watched Inuyasha. He had been watching the hanyou since they had all gone to sleep. He hadn't moved once and his eyes were closed, but he had to be sure Inuyasha was sleeping.  
  
Slowly he crawled out from under his blanket and headed towards the trees.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?"  
  
"I--Inuyasha." Maels stuttered. He was _sure_ the hanyou was sleeping!  
  
"Answer me." Inuyasha growled.  
  
"I have something I need to take care of." Maels shot back. "Now, I really need to be going."  
  
Inuyasha huffed. "Whatever. Just be back before the others wake up, alright?"  
  
Maels grinned. "Right."  
  
It took a while before Maels caught the scent of the girl and Inuyasha's brother, Sesshomaru. After he could smell them, it took almost no time to find them. Sesshomaru was sitting in a tree near the hot spring where the girl was cleaning herself up.  
  
Sesshomaru jumped down and drew his sword out. "Who's there?" He demanded into the darkness.  
  
Maels stepped into the moonlight so Sesshomaru could see him clearly. "I'm here." He stated.  
  
"What do you want?" Sesshomaru asked, resheathing his sword.  
  
"Erm..." Maels wasn't sure what to say. He really didn't have any valid excuse but wanting to see Sesshomaru again. Not besides the girl... "I wanted to be sure your girl was okay."  
  
"She's fine." Sesshomaru snapped, noticing that Maels was moving closer to him.  
  
"Our introduction before was rather short. Who exactly are you?" Maels stopped about a foot from where Sesshomaru stood.  
  
Sesshomaru growled slightly. "I am Sesshomaru, lord of the Western Lands."  
  
"Well, well..." Maels grabbed Sesshomaru's hand and pressed his lips to it. "Pleased to actually meet you my lord." He murmured against Sesshomaru's pale skin.  
  
Sesshomaru stared down at Maels, not knowing how he should react to this. He cleared his throat and pulled his hand away protectively. "And you are Maels, correct?"  
  
Maels' eyes twinkled. "I'm flattered you remember me Lord Sesshomaru." He straightened himself up and observed the youkai before him. "And I meant what I said before." He smiled broadly. "You remember, don't you?"  
  
_**Maels grinned insanely. "You are so much more beautiful than he is!"**_ Sesshomaru blushed at the memory of being called more beautiful than his brother. As true as it was, it is an embarrassing thing. "I remember." He stated flatly, glad the darkness covered his blush.  
  
"Good!" That insane grin was back. "So how exactly did you end up with a human child anyway? Most of you youkai wouldn't go near one unless it was to kill it right?"  
  
"She helped me and I'm returning the favor." Sesshomaru stated. "There's something I've been wondering." He asked abruptly changing the subject.  
  
Maels quirked an eyebrow. "Yes?"  
  
"What in the hells are you?" Sesshomaru asked so bluntly Maels nearly fell over from shock.  
  
An eruption of laughter from Maels made Sesshomaru turn red again, though now it was from anger. No one laughs at Sesshomaru. He darted forward and closed his hand around Maels' throat, pinning him to nearby a tree and immediately stopping the laughter. "Do not mock me." He squeezed tighter. "Do you understand?" Claws broke tender flesh and blood beaded around them.  
  
Maels shook his head emphatically after a failed attempt to speak which made him look like a fish trying to breathe out of water. He fell to the ground and rubbed his neck where Sesshomaru's claws pierced them. "If you really want to know, I can show you." He muttered hoarsely still rubbing his sore neck.  
  
Sesshomaru licked the small amount of blood from his claws and smiled impassively. "If you wish to."  
  
Maels stood up, cracked his neck and knuckles nonchalantly, and grinned like a madman again. In seconds the pale, dark curly-haired man who stood before Sesshomaru became a creature caught somewhere between a man and wolf. His height nearly tripled, his fingers grew into deadly claws as his canine teeth grew into long sharp weapons, his entire body was covered in black fur, and once pale gray eyes turned a fiery shade of red.  
  
"What...a were-wolf?" Sesshomaru stared dubiously at the strange creature before him. "But they aren't real."  
  
"Are you implying Lord Sesshomaru, that I, who stands before you, am not real? I believe I am very much real. You can't always believe what you think, now can you?" The wolf-Maels asked.  
  
Sesshomaru was speechless. A were-wolf. Maels was a wolf. He knew the scent was strange, but this was ridiculous. Wolfs weren't real, they were just in stories humans told to their children to scare them. But standing right there was living proof that the mythical creatures were real.  
  
"I suppose you can't understand how I'm real can you? Well my lord, I am not like most creatures of the night. I'm not a child of the dark like they are. I am the dark."[1] Once again within seconds Maels changed back into a human form and he was smirking at the look of utter disbelief on Sesshomaru's face. "I suppose it will take a little getting used to the fact that I do exist, but I'm afraid that I must be going. Until we meet again my lord." Maels bowed graciously towards Sesshomaru then disappeared into the trees.  
  
- -  
  
Inuyasha glared at Maels as he made his return. "What happened to your neck?"  
  
"Huh?" Maels lifted his hand to his neck and felt the wounds. "Oh that... I had a run-in with a youkai." He was having extreme difficulty keeping a smile from his face at the thought of Sesshomaru.  
  
Inuyasha sniffed at the air around Maels and wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Go take a bath."  
  
"It's because you can smell Sesshomaru isn't it?" Maels smiled.  
  
"Yes." Inuyasha growled, his eyes flashing dangerously. "Now go take a damn bath before I kill you."  
  
- - - -  
  
[1] I want to explain to everyone that the word 'Maels' is an elfish word meaning 'the dark or darkness'.  
  
Well, that's the end chapter. I hope that the few people who were actually nice enough to review are happy with it. 


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